Mop cloth capable of resiliently stretching and having better water absorption capability

ABSTRACT

A mop cloth applicable to a rotary mop and a method for manufacturing the mop cloth. The mop cloth includes several cloth strips each having two outer fabric layers and an inner foam layer sandwiched between the outer fabric layers. The foam layer provides the cloth strips with better water absorption capability. In addition, the foam layer has resilience and stretchability so that the cloth strips are capable of resiliently stretching and restoring to their original shapes without tangling with each other. The method of the present invention is bonding two fabric layers with a foam layer to sandwich the foam layer between the two fabric layers to achieve a semiproduct, and cutting the semiproduct into a predetermined number of cloth strips to form the mop cloth.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a cleaning implement, and more particularly to a mop cloth of a rotary mop, which is capable of resiliently stretching and has higher water absorption capability.

FIG. 1 shows a conventional rotary mop 10 including a handle 14 and a slide sleeve 16 slidably fitted on the handle 14. The rotary mop 10 also includes a mop cloth 12 composed of multiple fabric strips 13. The mop cloth 12 is looped and one end of the mop cloth 12 is connected with a bottom end of the handle 14, while the other end of the mop cloth 12 is connected with the slide sleeve 16. In use, a user can mop a ground with the mop cloth 12. After cleaned, the slide sleeve 16 is rotated to wring the water out of the mop cloth 12.

The above conventional rotary mop 10 has some defects as follows:

First, the mop cloth 12 is made of common fabrics with poor water absorption capability. Therefore, the mop cloth 12 can hardly effectively absorb the water on the ground. After mopped, some water will still remain on the ground. As a result, it is necessary to repeatedly mop the ground many times.

Second, the fabrics have no resilience and stretchability so that after used, the fabric strips 13 are likely to tangle with each other. Especially, after the mop cloth 12 is wrung, the fabric strips 13 containing water have heavier weight and are more likely to tangle with each other and cannot stretch out. FIG. 1 shows that the mop cloth 12 is tangled. In some cases, the fabric strips 13 will tangle to form dead knots. Under such circumstance, a user must unknot and untangle the fabric strips 13 with hands for next use. With the fabric strips 13 tangling, the mop cloth 12 will contact with the ground by reduced area. This will deteriorate mopping effect of the mop.

Third, with the fabric strips 13 tangling with each other, the dirt will interlard with the fabric strips 13. This makes it hard to clean up the dirt from the mop cloth 12.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a mop cloth which has excellent water absorption capability.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mop cloth, the cloth strip of the mop cloth is capable of resilience and stretchability without tangling with each other.

It is still an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing the above mop cloth.

According to the above objects, the mop cloth of the present invention includes several cloth strips each of which is a three-layer structure. The cloth strip includes two outer layers and an inner layer. Each outer layer is a fabric layer, while the inner layer is a water-absorbent foam. Whereby the foam layer is sandwiched between the two fabric layers.

Due to the inner foam layer and the outer fabric layers, the cloth strips have excellent water absorption capability. With the resilience and stretchability of the foam layer and the foam layer being capable of restoring to its original shape, the cloth strips are capable of resiliently stretching without tangling with each other. In addition, with the fabric layers, the mop cloth is able to provide fabric performances.

The method for manufacturing the mop cloth includes steps of bonding two fabric layers with a foam layer to sandwich the foam layer and form a three-layer semiproduct, and cutting the semiproduct into a predetermined number of cloth strips to form the mop cloth.

The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional rotary mop, showing that the fabric strips of the mop cloth tangle with each other;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the mop cloth of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows the manufacturing method of the preferred embodiment of the mop cloth of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a rotary mop provided with the mop cloth of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3. The mop cloth 20 of the present invention is a three-layer structure, including two outer layers and an inner layer.

Each outer layer is a fabric layer 30 which can be a cotton fabric, a woven fabric or an unwoven fabric.

The inner layer is a PU (polyurethane) foam 35 which is a foamed plastic and it is a water-absorbent foam having numerous internal fine pores (or foams) communicating with each other for absorbing water. Preferably, the foam layer 35 has a thickness thicker than that of the fabric layer 30. However, there can be other options. The foam layer 35 is sandwiched between the two fabric layers 30. A front face and a back face of the foam layer 35 are respectively bonded with the two fabric layers 30. In comparison with the fabric layers 30, the foam layer 35 has certain resilience and stretchability and is capable of restoring to its original shape.

The mop cloth 20 is cut into several cloth strips 22 each having a three-layer structure of two outer fabric layers 30 and an inner foam layer 35.

Please refer to FIG. 4. The method for manufacturing the mop cloth 20 of the present invention includes steps of:

-   -   1. preparing two pieces of fabrics 30 and a sheet of foam 35,         the fabrics 30 and the foam 35 having a size several times a         size of the mop cloth or equal to the size of the mop cloth;     -   2. attaching the fabrics 30 to two faces of the foam 35         respectively and sandwiching the foam 35 between the fabrics 30         to achieve a three-layer laminated semiproduct 40, in which a         piece of fabric can be folded into two folds as the two pieces         of fabrics 30; and     -   3. cutting the semiproduct 40 into several cloth strips 22 by         means of a machine to achieve a product of mop cloth 20. In the         case that the size of the semiproduct is several times the size         of the mop cloth 20, the semiproduct 40 being cut into several         products of mop cloths 20 each is cut into several cloth strips         22.

Referring to FIG. 2, the mop cloth 20 is cut with several cut marks 24 not entirely extending across the mop cloth 20. Therefore, a first end and a second end of the mop cloth 20 remain uncut to respectively form a first and a second transverse connecting sections 25. First ends and second ends of the cloth strips 22 are respectively connected with the two connecting sections 25.

The connecting sections 25 can be sewn with seams 26 to reinforce the mop cloth 20. The sewing operation can be performed after the semiproduct is formed before the cutting operation of step 3. Alternatively, the sewing operation can be performed after the cutting operation of step 3.

The cloth strip 22 has a flat configuration as shown in FIG. 2. The cloth strip 22 has a width W larger than a thickness T of the cloth strip 22. It should be noted that the edges of the foam layer 35 are not covered by the fabric layers 30 and are directly exposed to lateral sides of the cloth strip 22.

Referring to FIG. 5, the mop cloth 20 is applicable to a rotary mop 50. The mop cloth 20 is first looped, then, one end (one of the connecting sections 25) of the mop cloth 20 is fixedly connected with a bottom end of a handle 52 of the rotary mop 50, while the other end (the other connecting section 25) of the mop cloth 20 is fixedly connected with a bottom end of a slide sleeve 54 of the rotary mop 50. The slide sleeve 54 is movable along the handle 52 and rotatable about the handle 52.

The rotary mop 50 can be used to clean a ground and absorb water with the mop cloth 20. After used or washed, the slide sleeve 54 is rotated to wring water out of the mop cloth 20. Then the slide sleeve 54 is rotated in reverse direction to release the mop cloth 20 from the wrung state.

Due to the inner layers of the cloth strips 22 are foam layers 35, the mop cloth 20 has excellent water absorption capability much higher than that of the conventional fabric-made mop cloth. Therefore, the mop cloth 20 is able to more effectively and quickly absorb the water from the ground and dry the ground. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to repeatedly mop the ground so as to save time.

Moreover, the inner foam layer 35 enables the cloth stripes 22 to resiliently stretch and restore to their original shapes after released. When not wrung, due to the properties of the foam layer 35, all the cloth strips 22 will resiliently stretch without tangling with each other as shown in FIG. 5. After wrung, although the cloth strips 22 may still contain some water, the foam layer 35 enables the cloth stripes 22 to resiliently stretch and restore to their original shapes. In mopping, the cloth strips 22 will stretch out without tangling with each other so that more contact area of the mop cloth 20 with the ground is achieved and therefore the cleaning effect is raised.

Also, when washing the mop cloth 20, the foam layer 35 enables the cloth strips 22 to resiliently stretch without tangling with each other. Therefore, the surfaces of the cloth strips 22 are all exposed for easily cleaning up the dirt.

Furthermore, the outer layers of the mop cloth 20 are fabric layers 30 so that the mop cloth 20 still has fabric performances and is able to provide a fabric touch feeling.

In conclusion, the mop cloth of the present invention has a three-layer structure composed of two outer fabric layers 30 and an inner water-absorbent foam layer 35. Therefore, the mop cloth of the present invention is able to provide fabric performances and has higher water absorption capacity. In addition, the foam layer 35 enables the cloth strips 22 to resiliently stretch without tangling with each other so as to enhance using effect.

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the thickness of the foam layer is variable and the fabric layers and the foam layer can be bonded with each other by means of sewing. 

1. A mop cloth capable of resiliently stretching and having better water absorption capability, the mop cloth comprising a first and a second transverse connecting sections and a predetermined number of cloth strips each having a first end and a second end; the first and second transverse connecting sections being respectively formed at a first end and a second end of the mop cloth; the cloth strips being longitudinally side by side arranged with the first and second ends of the cloth strips respectively connected with the first and second connecting sections; each the cloth strip being a three-layer structure, including two outer layers and an inner layer; each the outer layer being a fabric layer; and the inner layer being a water-absorbent foam layer; the two fabric layers being respectively bonded with two faces of the foam layer, whereby the foam layer is sandwiched between the two fabric layers.
 2. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 1, wherein each the cloth strip has a flat configuration.
 3. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 1, wherein edges of the foam layer of the cloth strip are exposed to lateral sides of the cloth strip.
 4. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 2, wherein edges of the foam layer of the cloth strip are exposed to lateral sides of the cloth strip.
 5. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cloth strip has a width larger than a thickness of the cloth strip.
 6. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two fabric layers are bonded with the foam layer by means of attachment.
 7. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two fabric layers are bonded with the foam layer by means of sewing.
 8. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foam layer has a thickness not smaller than that of the fabric layers.
 9. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 1, wherein each connecting section is a three-layer structure, including two outer fabric layers and an inner water-absorbent foam layer sandwiched between the outer fabric layers.
 10. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting sections are sewn with seams.
 11. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 1, wherein the foam layer is a polyurethane foam layer.
 12. A method for manufacturing a mop cloth, comprising steps of: preparing two pieces of fabrics and a sheet of foam; bonding the fabrics to the foam to achieve a semiproduct, the fabrics being respectively bonded with two faces of the foam as two outer fabric layers, whereby the foam is sandwiched between the fabrics as an inner foam layer; and cutting the semiproduct into a predetermined number of longitudinal cloth strips with a first end and a second end of the semiproduct remaining uncut to respectively form a first and a second transverse connecting sections.
 13. The method for manufacturing the mop cloth as claimed in claim 12, wherein each the cloth strip has a flat configuration and edges of the foam layer of the cloth strip are exposed to lateral sides of the cloth strip.
 14. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 12, wherein the two fabric layers are bonded with the foam layer by means of attachment.
 15. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 12, wherein the two fabric layers are bonded with the foam layer by means of sewing.
 16. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 12, wherein the foam layer is a polyurethane foam layer.
 17. The mop cloth as claimed in claim 12, wherein the cloth strip has a width larger than a thickness of the cloth strip. 